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DUBLIN ZOO HAS confirmed that it will reopen to the public tomorrow in a reduced capacity and under new strict health and safety protocols.
Tickets to attend Dublin Zoo must now be pre-booked online in advance, solely via its website. Tickets will not be sold at the gate.
Visits will be divided into two daily sessions, one morning and one afternoon, with a maximum of 500 people in for each initial trial period. This is less than 10% of the usual capacity at any one time.
The morning session will run from 9.30am to 1pm and the afternoon session will run from 2pm to 5.30pm.
Visitors will travel through Dublin Zoo by following a new outdoor, one-way walking route which reinforces strict social distancing.
The outdoor route, also known as the Dublin Zoo Outdoor Safari Trail, will be noted on a map which will be available to all visitors.
Hand sanitiser stations will be available and there will be visible signage reinforcing physical distancing, hand-hygiene, coughing/sneezing etiquette.
A new, enhanced cleaning regime has also been implemented and all Dublin Zoo personnel will be provided with, and trained in the safe and appropriate use of, relevant PPE.
“As we approach this new chapter of our history with cautious optimism, our priority during this reopening phase will be to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our staff, visitors and the continued provision of world-class animal care,” Dublin Zoo director Leo Oosterweghel said.
“This will be a careful, phased reopening where we limit the number of entrants at any given time whilst establishing strict social distancing and hygiene measures, to protect both Dublin Zoo visitors and staff,” he said.
We have received numerous queries regarding our reopening date and while we are pleased to announce it will be June 2nd, it is important to stress that this is a trial period for Dublin Zoo and patience and understanding will be required from visitors as we navigate our new pre-booking system, two daily opening sessions and one-way walking route.
We have worked hard to ensure Dublin Zoo can once again reopen to the public, but health and safety come first, and we ask all visitors to bear that in mind when coming to see us.
We would also like to strongly advise anyone considering a visit to Dublin Zoo that they check current government travel restrictions to ensure they are abiding by them. We look forward to welcoming visitors once again to Dublin Zoo.”
To ensure strict social distancing and new public health guidelines can always be adhered to at all times in Dublin Zoo, internal animal houses and enclosed habitat viewing areas, retail units and playgrounds will be closed until further notice.
Due to enclosed habitat viewing areas, visitors will not be able to see the wolves, hippo, Waldrapp ibis, Amur tigers and the red pandas.
However, visitors will be able to see the majority of the animals including the herd of Asian elephants, chimpanzees, the Western lowland gorillas, giraffe, rhino, zebra, sealions, penguins, lemurs, orangutans, and lions.
Educational tours and classes will also not take place during this time.
To book your tickets, or for further details on how visitors can prepare themselves for their visit to Dublin Zoo and what to expect, please visit www.dublinzoo.ie.
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It’s the little things that get me all excited these days. Made a fool of myself in the shop this morning, because I thought I saw my name on a loaf of bread. It actually said thick cut.
Its gonna be risky opening up everywhere again but we cant live like this forever.our friends across the water are doing it way to quick.they still getting 8000 new confirmed cases a day.our problems will really start if we start allowing incoming passenger flights from UK too quickly
The giraffes are above all this.
@Aunties: The neck on them, who do they think they are?
@Aunties: The height of ignorance.
@Aunties: I would say the camels had got the hump!!
@Aunties: and the hyenas are laughing at them all.
The Zoo is open it’s called “THE DAIL”
@Justin Hanley: get in
Although it will be good in a lot of respects opening up again, personally I will maintain my distance wherever possible. None of us know how this is gonna pan out down the line. Think from here on in I will be wary of crowded places, even taking covid out of the equation. Suits me if I’m honest.
@Karen Maria O’Malley: Doesn’t suit me, I long for a packed gig, getting on a plane, chatting to randomers at a bar, going to football matches. I really hope we can get back to as close to normal as possible.
@Karen Maria O’Malley: 500 in a place as big as the zoo over the course of 3.5 hours won’t be crowded, it would be a lot busier in your local Tesco and that’s indoors!
@Bingobango: planes and travelling is what will probably affect me most, will do it though the second I feel the time is right but will wear mask regardless. I work in healthcare and have always been a slightly over the top germaphobe lol. One has to live rather than exist and I hope you get to that gug soon!
@Bingobango: planes and travelling is what will probably affect me most, will do it though the second I feel the time is right but will wear mask regardless. I work in healthcare and have always been a slightly over the top germaphobe lol. One has to live rather than exist and I hope you get to that gug soon!
@NickyVera: I agree, although we work in Dublin we have moved out rural, my local lidls etc are deserted in the evenings but I do long for a normal shopping experience im some ways. Will absolutely do the zoo later in the summer with the smallies in the family.
My daughter is going out with someone working in Dublin zoo, nice lad, I think he’s a keeper…
So I guess anyone who lives within 5k of the zoo can go?
How is that fair for annual pass holders. The passes should be extended by three months and we should be able to access the zoo with our passes. We have already paid for it.
@Fionnuala O’Brien: Read the info on the website …
@Susanne Morgan: I have done but still had to pay 50 euro on top of my annual pass to book a slot. Seems very unfair.
@Sinead Mooney: email them and they will sort it. I also paid as a pass holder but the information has been added now.
This is great news!
@Trish O’Leary-Dunne: great if you live within 5 kilometers. It’s hardly a essential service.
@Richard: I’m no zoologist but I’m fairly sure all the animals live in the zoo so of course they’re within the 5k guidelines
@Richard: Ah c’mon dude. Be happy for people. Woodies, McDonalds drive thru, no use to me, but I got great enjoyment out of the sheer joy they brought to some. We will have our day yet, don’t worry ..
@Richard: it’s essential to the zoo to raise money to feed the animals…. and, it’s essential to many children (within the 5km radius) who have special needs as this is probably part of their weekly routine to visit there. I for one am delighted to see its open.
@Gigi Power: isn’t it going to be 20k next week?
@Connoroconner: think it’s this day next week :)
@Richard: It will be 20km by the time the 22nd June( when i have my tickets for).The zoo needs the money from visitors.I donated to them during lockdown but id say i was one of the few.
I love the zoo..i said from the start be the first place Id go when restrictions eased.
@Trish O’Leary-Dunne: Being as you like the zoo, you could head this way after July 20th. Lots of wildlife around here .. just saying like ..
Not much use to the majority of the country who live more than 5 km from the zoo. Guards stopping everyone in my small town yesterday. It’s not touristy or anywhere near the sea. The travel restrictions make no sense in a small sparsely populated country where house prices have forced people to live far from where they’d like to. In our 12th week of incarceration
I assume they are only selling tickets to those who live within 5km this week ?
Shut it down.
Can’t wait to see the monkeys running the country .
@Aunties: What you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul
@ED209: I was with 100% you right up until you brought you’re imaginary friend into the argument.
@ED209: there are 9 words in my sentence. It’s hardly rambling.
Tis only a silly joke . Maybe you should go and see your relatives. You need a hug I think .
@ISAM: In fairness I was quoting the principle from Billy Madison.
@Aunties:
@ED209: Billy Madison…. whoop.
And annual pass holders have to pay for their tickets as well I noticed.
@Koen Smet: an absolute farce for annual pass holders. Zoo have offered a one month extension on passes. I’ll never buy one again.
@James St John Smith: they could have added a third timeslot for annual pass holders and a fourth one for at risk groups
@Koen Smet: Read the website and the FAQs
@Susanne Morgan: Regardless of faqs, if you actually want to visit the Zoo as annual pass holder you are charged for tickets, hence the suggestion to add an extra timeslot free of charge. Dublin Zoo have applied an unfair policy.
@Koen Smet: there’s no charge you enter your pass number as a promo code and then it’s free. I booked today, no charge
Open to people who live within 5km so… Or am I missing something? So much of what’s going on now re restrictions and openings are completely contradictory.
@Philip: Nope; you’re correct. Why would it be any different to any other amenity? One wouldn’t have thought that information would have to be spoon fed to the masses, but here we are.
Zoo is open but still only 10 at a funeral…. still cant see my parents..
Its absolutely ridiculous. As an annual pass holder who bought my ticket in Feb, I’ve used it once before lockdown. The Zoo will give me 1 month extension but even now I can’t go until at least 20th July due to travel restrictions. I’ve paid for a 12 month pass but am given 10 months(with extension) and even at that due to government guidelines and legislation I can’t travel for 2 more months. They should never have opened until July when the travel ban was lifted and given the 3 months extension to annual pass holders like other places have.
@Paula Doyle: I agree with you. I’m disgusted by how Dublin Zoo have treated annual pass holders. I’m surprised how they can legally get away with it. Also, in the event there might be a second wave and they shut down again, I don’t think I’ll bother with the annual pass now. And I certainly won’t be going to the Wild Lights or supporting them any longer. Bad move Dublin Zoo!
There shouldn’t be a zoo it’s a animal cruelty no animal should be locked up
I see they’re working on upgrading their webcams, that’s something to look forward to. They were so laggy that half the country must have been logging on to watch from afar.
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